A Few Interesting Cases PETOŠEVIĆ Recently Handled

Ukraine – Confusingly Similar Fast Fashion

One of the world’s leading fashion groups learned that a Ukrainian individual registered a trademark confusingly similar to a well-known trademark representing one of their fast fashion brands.

A trademark use investigation revealed a confusingly similar domain name leading to a women’s fashion and clothing website. However, at that time, the website did not advertise and offer for sale any goods bearing the confusingly similar trademark.

We further investigated and monitored two cities in central Ukraine, where the individual’s company was seemingly active – according to public records, they had manufacturing facilities there.

The infringer did not stop the infringing activities after receiving a cease and desist letter, but instead broadened the scope of infringement by opening a clothing store in one of the two cities, infringing the fast fashion giant’s trade dress.

We asked the court to order the defendant to stop the infringing activities and to cancel the infringing trademark. The dispute was settled amicably. The infringer voluntarily surrendered his rights to the confusingly similar trademark and ceased operating his website and his shop.

For more information, please contact Natalia Stetsenko and Yuriy Karlash, who handled this case.

Bulgaria – Busting Fake Light Bulbs

Bulgarian police authorities from the city of Plovdiv revealed an organized criminal group involved in the production and distribution of fake light bulbs infringing a trademark owned by a multinational technology company, the owner of numerous trademarks for various types of goods, including lighting products and appliances.

The members of the criminal network imported plain, blank bulbs from China, printed fake logos on the bulbs and on their packaging and distributed the finished products, mainly to clients in Greece. The case was settled in court in January 2018. The defendants pleaded guilty and were put on probation and fined.

For more information, please contact Dimitar Batakliev, who handled this case.

Bulgaria – Enforcing Baby Stroller Patent and Design Rights

Our firm assists in infringement investigations and enforcing intellectual property rights belonging to a well-known manufacturer of children’s furniture and accessories.

We were recently successful in enforcing the manufacturer’s design and patent rights in Bulgaria in judicial proceedings against a local distributor of infringing strollers. In July 2018, the defendant acknowledged the infringement, paid a partial compensation and promised to refrain from selling the infringing products in the future.

For more information, please contact Dimitar Batakliev, who handled this case.